East Bakersfield Boy
Mauled By Pet Pit Bull
Dog Turned Over To Animal Control

Bakersfield, Ca. 11/12/08 6:38 PST
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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- It's an image no mother wants to see: her child's face riddled with stitches.

Rachel Briones said, "To tell you the truth, I didn't even think it was happening because it was so horrible."

Briones said she was in the back yard with her children, including 3-year-old Sergio, when she stepped inside the house to grab a bottle.

"I got the bottle and right when I went there I saw him come in and that's when I saw him, his face was really bad. It happened so quick." said Briones.

Sergio's great aunt Maria Muniz said, "I heard him scream. I ran to the door and saw him covered in blood. I thought that one of his siblings hit him with a toy. "

It wasn't a sibling who seriously injured Sergio but the family's pit bull, which was chained up to a nearby tree.

"The gate wasn't closed and the boy went to the dog who was probably angry from being tied up," said Muniz.

"To me, I know my son and I don't think he went to pet him. He probably went up there to get a toy and the dog probably just snapped at him," said Briones.

Sergio suffered bites to his face, stomach, arm, and leg. The family recently adopted the pit bull, which they say never showed any signs of aggression.

"He was just playful. It never tried to growl at us or anything," said Briones

In just a matter of seconds that changed, along with the family's love of dogs.

"Don't trust dogs. Because my son's going to have a scar forever and maybe he's going to be traumatized," said Briones.

The family also has two other pit bulls, which they plan to give away soon.

The dog that attacked Sergio has been turned over to animal control.

Officials there say they will quarantine the dog for 10 days and then evaluate its temperment to see if it will be available to rescue organizations. If not, it will be put to sleep.

3-Year-Old Boy Attacked By
Parent's Pit Bull


POSTED: 4:39 pm PST November 11, 2008
UPDATED: 3:36 pm PST November 12, 2008

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- According to the Kern County Sheriff's Office, Tuesday at about 1 p.m., a 3-year-old boy was attacked by his parent's pit bull.

The child had wandered into the backyard where the dog was chained to a tree. The mother realizing what happened, ran to the dog where the dog then released the child, the KCSO reported.

The KCSO reported that the child sustained severe lacerations to his face and forehead, and puncture wounds to his upper right arm, stomach, and upper right leg.

When the deputies arrived, they were able to apply pressure to the child's injuries to keep the child from bleeding out.

The child was taken to Kern Medical Center and the dog has been confiscated by the Kern County Animal Control.

If you're concerned about whether or not to get a certain type of dog. The Centers For Disease and Prevention offers facts about choosing the right dog.